Billion Dollar News Capsule - Air Cargo

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AMI has relocated to a new, larger facility at its Sydney hub. The new facility is nearly twice the size of its previous accommodations, which the company had occupied since 2001. AMI Sydney is now based in Hale St. Botany, a few minutes’ drive from the airport cargo terminal. Air Partner saw half year gross profit rise by 13 percent to £12.1m while underlying operating profit double to £2.2m.In the six months ending July 2015, Air Partner saw the successful acquisition and integration of Cabot Aviation Services, an aircraft remarketing company, for a net consideration of up to £1.1m.AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) is heading into the final quarter of 2015 with constant growth after reporting a 17 percent year-on-year rise in tonnage for the opening eight months of the year. In the period to the end of August, ABC transported 300,000 tonnes of cargo across its global network linking the largest trade markets of Asia, Europe, the USA and Russia.

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo and China Southern Cargo have signed a freight partnership agreement. The new pairing will give customers access to “an extensive cargo network in the Asia Pacific region – via China Southern Cargo – and in Europe, Africa and the transatlantic regions, where AF KLM Martinair Cargo is one of the largest operators”, said the carriers. Airbus’ next generation of oversize air transport capability, christened Beluga XL, has passed a key step in its development. The Beluga XL’s programme’s latest “maturity gate milestone” marks the end of the concept phase or design freeze at aircraft level.The European aircraft manufacturer plans to build five new Beluga transport aircraft – the original was named after a species of whale – replacing the existing fleet which transports final assembly Airbus components. AMTES, part of the Volga-Dnepr Technics subgroup, has been issued with a Part 145 (AR-145) certificate by the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), extending its maintenance and repair capabilities for the An-124 freighter aircraft. IAC Aviation Rules, Part 145 (AR-145) establish the requirements for MRO organisations and certification procedures. AirBridgeCargo Airlines has commenced a twice-weekly direct freighter service to Singapore from Moscow. The Boeing 747F flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays and offer onward connections to Hong Kong and the rest of ABC’s global route network. The airline already connects clients in China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam with its cargo gateways in Europe, the USA and Russia. Aeroscraft Corporation revealed another milestone completed in the development of the world’s first Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) capable heavy-lift cargo airship, the Aeroscraft, featuring independence from external ballast. Following the engineering scale down prototype “Dragon Dream” phase of the programme, the team at Aeros is now entering the design freeze phase for the ML866 (66-ton) Aeroscraft cargo airship. All Nippon Airways launched a Tokyo Narita – Bangkok – Jakarta – Narita freighter service. The offer increases the frequency of cargo flights between Narita and Bangkok and is the Japanese airline’s first ever cargo flight between the capitals of Thailand and Indonesia. The Bangkok – Jakarta flight will be ANA’s first year-round international cargo service between two non-domestic airports. ACP Worldwide has been appointed Cargo GSA across South Africa for Saudia Cargo. Saudia Cargo currently operates three times weekly B747 freighter flights from Johannesburg to Jeddah and Amsterdam, being shared frequencies with Nairobi.In addition to this maindeck capacity, ACP will also be able to sell belly space on the carrier’s three times weekly B777-200 wide-body flights between Johannesburg and Jeddah offering a total 50 tonnes of lower deck cargo capacity per week. Air India SATS Airport Services has been re-certified with “TAPA FSR 2014 Class A” certification for its Air Freight Terminal at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR). AISATS BLR is the first Air Cargo Terminal Operator in India to have a warehouse facility certified for “TAPA FSR 2014 Class A” standards.

AMI has extended its unique click2ship service to its South African operations. click2ship enables bona fide freight agents to obtain online, all-inclusive quotations for shipments, including collection and delivery; these can subsequently be converted to bookings. Air Cargo Community Frankfurt is welcoming new members. With Swissport Cargo Services Deutschland, Dachser, Thermotraffic, Sovereign Speed and my Logistics, a further five companies have joined the association, all of whom are heavily involved in the area of airfreight in Frankfurt.

American Airlines Cargo has taken part in the transport of a 2,000 pound World Trade Center beam from New York to the Kennedy Space Center Fire Rescue 9/11 Memorial in Cape Canaveral. American Airlines worked closely with the Kennedy Space Center Fire Rescue and members represented by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) — International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, to begin the transport of the beam. Air Transport Services Group reported consolidated financial results for the quarter ended 30 June 2015. For the second quarter of 2015, Pre-tax earnings from continuing operations increased 17 percent to $17.2 million, including a 35 percent increase in Cargo Aircraft Management’s pre-tax earnings, driven by eight additional freighters leased to external customers. Air France KLM’s cargo division has seen losses deepen in the second quarter of the year and services at the airline will be cut as it attempts to address overcapacity. The airline group’s cargo division saw its operating loss for the second quarter of the year increase by 33 percent against last year to €78 million. This came on the back of a 9.6 percent year-on-year decrease in cargo revenues to €604 million as capacity and therefore volumes shrank.AirBridgeCargo Airlines has reported a 17 percent increase in tonnage carried across its global network in the first half of 2015. The airline transported over 218,000 tonnes in the six months ended 30 June 2015 and saw a 22 percent rise in freight tonne-kilometres. ABC achieved a load factor of 67 percent during the half-year, maintaining a level much higher than the industry average.

American Airlines Cargo has expanded its operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). American will now operate a brand-new, 12,000-square-foot facility with new additions to the management team and a fully dedicated staff. This is the second expansion of American’s Atlanta cargo facility since 2013.Abu Dhabi Airports Company announced that its ground handling service provider DhabiJet has been awarded RA3 certification for cargo operations at Al Ain International Airport. The “EU Aviation Security Validated Regulated Agents” RA3 certification is a supply chain security initiative designed by the European Union. With the issuance of the RA3 certification, EU-member states recognise DhabiJet as a regulated agent, and confirm that it meets the security requirements for screening air cargo and mail entering the EU.

Airports Council International reported that Air cargo volumes at airports based in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions edged up in May but were impacted is export and economic slowdowns. The latest figures from Airports Council International Asia Pacific show that throughput at Asia Pacific airports increased by 1.6 percent in May compared with last year. Volumes at Middle Eastern airports were up 4.4 percent on May 2014.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines expects a “stable rather than fantastic peak cargo season” for the second half of 2015 after reporting a 17 percent tonnage surge across its global network in the first six months. The Russian airline – whose Volga-Dnepr parent has lined up an order for 20 Boeing 747-8 freighters worth $7.8bn – transported over 218,000 tonnes between January and June this year and saw a 22 percent rise in freight tonne-km.American Airlines Cargo has expanded its operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). American will now operate a brand-new, 12,000-square-foot facility with new additions to the management team and a fully dedicated staff. This is the second expansion of American’s Atlanta cargo facility since 2013. AIA Cargo was awarded Best Cargo Sales Agent 2014 by China Southern cargo, UK. The ceremony was the airline’s annual awards ceremony and was attended by all the senior China Southern staff from the carrier’s London headquarters. ”AIA provides cargo management services through its network in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Airbus and ST Aerospace announced that they have launched an A320 Family P-to-F conversion program through their EFW joint venture. The first type to be converted will be the A321. The companies said the A321 conversions will enter service in 2018, while the smaller A320, is scheduled to follow a year later.

Aerospace Logistics Alliance is to settle in the premises of ILS Cargo, a local partner in Miami FL (USA), and form Tala Americas. This organisation will concentrate on the logistics requirements of the aviation and aerospace industry, and those of airlines. Tala’s staff, aircraft on ground (AOG) specialists, will thus be able to react particularly quickly to customer inquiries.

American Airlines Cargo officially opened the ExpediteTC cold storage pharmaceutical facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Strategically placed in the northeast pharmaceutical corridor, this high-tech facility and its specially trained employees are key elements in the effective handling of the sensitive, valuable and potentially life-saving products shipped through the international cold chain.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has won the award for Best Airport in Europe, in this year’s Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain (AFLAS) Awards. The annual awards, now hosted and organized by Asia Cargo News, recognize leading service providers including air and shipping lines, air and sea ports and logistics companies. Air China Cargo, China Cargo Airlines and China Southern Cargo will merge to form Asia’s largest freight transport company.

Abu Dhabi Airports announced that its ground handling service provider DhabiJet has been awarded RA3 certification for cargo operations at Al Ain International Airport.The “EU Aviation Security Validated Regulated Agents” RA3 certification is a supply chain security initiative designed by the European Union. With the issuance of the RA3 certification, EU-member states recognize DhabiJet as a regulated agent, and confirm that it meets the security requirements for screening air cargo and mail entering the EU.

Air China Cargo will launch a freight service between Shanghai and the Canadian city of Edmonton, the company’s first scheduled freighter destination in Canada. With the launch of the Shanghai-Edmonton-Dallas route on September 3, Air China Cargo will be the first Chinese cargo airline to offer direct services between Shanghai and Edmonton.With the launch of the Shanghai-Edmonton-Dallas route on September 3, Air China Cargo will be the first Chinese cargo airline to offer direct services between Shanghai and Edmonton.

Atlas Air provided a fleet update highlighting initiatives taken to respond to market demand and customer requirements. Based on the improved airfreight environment and customer demand, Atlas Air Worldwide has agreed to acquire a new 747-8 freighter from Boeing with delivery scheduled for November 2015.

Asia-U.S. air cargo freight rates have continued to slide as port operations on the West Coast have sharpened up since the crushing congestion at the beginning of the year, according to data from Drewry.

Airbus has signed an agreement with Singapore-based ST Aerospace to offer passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion solutions for its A320 / A321 aircraft. The agreement was signed at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget by Harald Wilhelm, chief financial officer of Airbus Group and Airbus, Serh Ghee Lim, president of ST Aerospace, Andreas Sperl, CEO of EFW and Tom Williams, Airbus chief operating officer.A. hartrodt (Belgium), the airfreight department of international freight forwarder arranged the transport of three Brazilian Tapirs (Tapirusterestris) and four Patagonian Maras (Dolichotispatagonum) by air from Brussels to Istanbul. The animals destined for the zoo of Bursa (Turkey) were shipped in appropriate, custom-made transport boxes. A live animal specialist of a. hartrodt accompanied the precious consignment to ensure the well being of the species and their safe arrival.Adria Airways has extended its handling contract with Fraport Cargo Services (FCS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fraport AG. FCS will thus continue to be responsible for all of the airline’s freight handling operations at Frankfurt airport.Air Canada has signed an agreement with Mercator, a leading provider of software and technology-enabled outsourcing solutions to the global aviation industry, to manage and optimize its revenue accounting system for cargo operations using Mercator’s RAPID Cargo solution.

Air France Cargo had lost on average a little over 2.5 percent (annually) in terms of unit revenue per available tonnekilometre (ATK) – a key benchmark in yield management in the sector. But at the end of 2014, the slide in oil prices and an extreme variability in exchange rates had aggravated Air France’s position considerably with the result that in the first five months of 2015, unit revenues per ATK had fallen by 10 percent.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines has continued its strong operating performance with tonnage up 16 percent in the first five months of 2015.In the January-May period, the airline transported 180,605 tonnes across its global route network linking Europe, Asia and the USA via Russia.

American Airlines Cargo has further extended its reach in Eastern Europe with the appointment of Flyus as its GSA in Hungary and Poland. Flyus took on responsibility for the airline’s cargo sales in each country. Hungary and Poland are currently off-line destinations in the American Airlines network with cargo being trucked from both Budapest and Warsaw to London, Frankfurt, Munich or Paris for direct entry into the system.

American Airlines Cargo announced use of the new Dreamliner for four international routes. The Boeing 787-800 launched showcases a multitude of benefits for customers, including 28 positions for cargo, improved aerodynamics, advanced engine technology and better fuel efficiency.

American Airlines Cargo has introduced three new mainland European cities to its summer schedule for 2015. Athens (Greece), Lisbon (Portugal) and Venice (Italy) have all joined the network. A B757 is deployed on the Lisbon and Athens link and an Airbus A330-300 operates the Venice connection. All Nippon Airways has been granted antitrust immunity for a proposed transpacific cargo joint venture with United Airlines (UA) by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The Japanese airline said this antitrust immunity and any additional government approvals would enable ANA and UA to jointly manage activities covered by the air cargo joint venture including network planning, pricing, sales, and handling, on specified transpacific routes. AirBridgeCargo Airlines reported a 20 percent increase in tonnage for the first quarter of 2015, continuing the trend set by previous years. In the January 1-March 31 period this year, ABC carried 103,816 tonnes across its international route network connecting customers in Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific through its hub in Moscow.AirBridgeCargo Airlines is extending its global network to Vietnam with the launch of twice-weekly freighter services from Hanoi. The Asian market has grown into the key market for ABC and this development is continuing in 2015. AirBridgeCargo Airlines has added twice-weekly flights to Los Angeles to its North America freighter operations, connecting the US west coast with its global network. Following four years of intensive development, the company has achieved annual volumes across the Atlantic of over 55,000 tonnes. Association of Asia Pacific Airlines reported that international freight tonne km (FTK) surged 20.5 percent outpacing a 12.6 percent increase in offered freight capacity. AAPA said that the result based on preliminary data was a 4.2 percentage point increase in the average international freight load factor, to 65.2 percent.Air Partner has formed a strategic partnership with AirCargoGroup (ACG), an association of neutral airfreight wholesalers and consolidators. Under the terms of the agreement, Air Partner will be a preferred vendor and associate partner, and will consult ACG group members on cargo charter and other air projects. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has once again been ranked top major European airport (over 1 million tonnes per annum), in this year’s Air Cargo Excellence Survey. The airport section of the Air Cargo Excellence Awards is based on airlines’ votes on performance, value, facilities and operations.

Airports Authority of India is focusing on the cargo segment to boost its revenues. As part of this, AAI plans to optimally utilise its old redundant/un-utilised domestic passenger terminals by converting them into cargo facilities after carrying out the necessary modifications, AAI chairman RK Srivastava told reporters at an industry event .Air Transport Services Grouphas highlighted “fundamental industry dynamics” that point toward “an excellent year for air cargo companies in 2015”. Nasdaq-quoted ATSG reported 2014 fourth quarter adjusted pre-tax earnings up 19 per cent to $17.7m .Fourth quarter revenues were $157.9m, slightly higher than a year ago and up $19.5m from the third quarter of 2014.

Air India SATS Airport Services held a ground breaking ceremony for Bengaluru’s first fully dedicated perishable cargo handling centre, the “AISATS Coolport”, at Kempegowda International Airport. The event was inaugurated by Kaushik Mukherjee, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, in line with the vision of enhancing the State of Karnataka as the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and perishable hub of India.

Alaska Air Cargo started full cargo service with direct flights from Seattle to New Orleans using the bellies of 737-800s, said Kathy Denker, director of cargo sales and postal relations, during the AirCargo 2015 conference in New Orleans. Six months earlier, the US carrier had begun daily direct passenger flights to the Big Easy.

Air Transport Services Group reported consolidated financial results for the quarter and full year ended December 31, 2014. Adjusted net earnings from continuing operations increased 11 per cent to $10.8 million, or 17 cents per share diluted. Operating loss carryforwards for US federal income tax purposes offset much of the company’s federal tax liabilities. ATSG does not expect to pay significant federal income taxes until 2017 at the earliest.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has once again been ranked as the top major European airport in the Air Cargo Excellence Survey. The airport section of the Air Cargo Excellence Awards is based on airlines’ votes on performance, value, facilities and operations. Schiphol’s 2015 overall winning score of 116 points shows yet another improvement on its performance of recent years: in 2012 it scored 103 points, in 2013 it achieved 106 points, and in 2014 it scored 113 points.

Abu Dhabi Airports announced that it has signed a AED 458 million contract with Smiths Detection, to equip the Midfield Terminal with a range of systems aimed at detecting CBRE threats (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives). The hold baggage systems include the next generation of high speed explosives detection system deploying a combination of X-ray technologies to produce high resolution images of baggage contents.

Alitalia has revealed its route plans following Abu Dhabi-based Etihad’s decision last summer to take a 49 percent equity stake. In Italy, there will be a new three-hub strategy. Milan Malpensa will see an increase long-haul services; Milan Linate will have more connections to partner airline hubs; and Rome Fiumicino will have more long-haul flights while continuing to expand short and medium haul services.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines has delivered express cargo for NASA from Chicago to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. The cargo arrived in Moscow in the bulk hold of ABC’s Boeing 747 freighter flight RU404 as part of its journey to the international space station.

Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo announced that it will launch new lightweight pallet for its customers. It follows the introduction of lightweight pallet nets in 2014. The current standard pallet weighs 100 kg, while the new lightweight pallet is 83 kg.

Aerotrans Cargo will expand its fleet by adding a 747-400 widebody freighter. The Moldovan-based carrier presently operates several 11-76s, and a Saab 340F on lease from Hungary’s ABC Air Hungary. Air France KLM Martinair Cargo has started three new frequencies from Amsterdam Airport-Schipol to and from Dubai International Airport. Using 747 aircraft, the carrier will be the only scheduled airline to offer 21 main deck pallet loads weekly to Dubai.

Air France-KLM has deferred an order of ten 777-300ERs. Air France-KLM was planning to use the twin-engine 777-300ERs to replace older, less-fuel-efficient 747s over the next two years, but the company said that due to lower oil prices it would defer the order.

Aeroscraft Corporation announced that it has begun production for its newest airship, the 40E Sky Dragon, with a one tonne payload capacity from Montebello. Aeros created the FAA-licensed 40E model after extensive testing of the 40D prototype airship that has been in operation since 2007.

Airbus announced a new passenger-to-freighter conversions program for its wide-body A330 aircraft. the European manufacturer’s MRO subsidiary EFW now has a launch customer for the A330-200 variant: Cairo-based Egyptair, the flag carrier of Egypt. Under the agreement, Egyptair will convert two of its A330-200 passenger aircraft to freighters, and has an option for two more.

All Nippon Airways and Lufthansa Cargo AG have launched an innovative air cargo joint venture on Japan-Europe routes. Both airlines have commenced joint sales of shipments on flights from Japan to Europe.The first shipment sent by forwarder Schenker-Seino and booked via Lufthansa Cargo was transported by ANA on flight number NH 277 from Tokyo to London.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines has successfully delivered a horizontal stabilizer for a Boeing 737 from Shanghai to Chicago on its way to the Boeing aircraft factory in Seattle. The component’s five individual pieces were delivered onboard two Boeing 747 freighter flights from China to the U.S. over the course of 24 hours. On arrival in Chicago, the cargo was delivered to Seattle by truck.

AirBridgeCargo has commenced using Lufthansa Systems’ Lido/iRouteManual, Lido/Enroute and Lido/DocView IT solutions aimed at simplifying cockpit processes. The new IT solutions will ease the workload of ABC pilots by providing fast access to continually updated documents and data and reduce the airline’s operational costs at the same time. The new technology will be saving ABC a significant amount per year. The airline plans to fully switch to the electronic cockpit by February 2015.

AIR FRANCE-KLM-MARTINAIR Cargo is introducing lightweight pallet with a view to reduce company’s CO2 footprint. This follows the successful introduction of lightweight pallet nets last year.Due to an innovative construction process, the new lightweight aluminum pallet is as strong as the current pallet, but weighing 17 kg less. Antonov An-124-100 heavy-lift freighters were used by Germany-based Bertling Logistics for the transport of nine oversize transformers for three power substations, made by Portuguese manufacturer Efacec. Using three Bertling shipped the transformers from Porto, Portugal, to the end-user, Edesur, in Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital.

Air France Cargo has appointed CHEP Aerospace Solutions to repair its fleet of cargo containers, pallets and horse boxes at Paris Charles de Gaulle, and dollies at Paris Orly airport over the next three years. This new partnership complements CHEP’s existing relationship with KLM and Martinair in Amsterdam and positions CHEP as a strategic maintenance and repair partner for the Air France KLM Group. CHEP’s data-rich repair management software ACTIS will provide Air France Cargo with the benefit of being able to identify damage trends and related costs.

Air Bridge Cargo has taken delivery of its sixth new Boeing 747-8 Freighter. The addition takes the Volga-Dnepr Group subsidiary’s fleet to a total of 13 Boeing 747s, including six Boeing 747-8 Freighters, four Boeing 747-400ERFs and three Boeing 747-400 Freighters.

ACI said air freight continues to be in recovery mode as growth levels have risen above trend. The overall accumulated volumes for the last twelve months rose by 3.6 percent while August freight volumes jumped up by 5.8 percent. Although weakness remains in the domestic air freight markets, the trans-border shipment of air freight posted robust gains in August. International freight volumes jumped up by 7.5 percent.

Amerijet International has shut down its cargo hub operations at Rickenbacker Airport in Columbus, Ohio only months after launching it. The Florida-based cargo carrier started Rickenbacker operations from a 20,000-square-foot warehouse leased at the airport. Amerijet’s president, Dave Bassett, said the site had been an experiment to trial a hybrid air-and-road express operation.

All Nippon Airways will launch a strategic air cargo joint venture on routes between Japan and Europe and vice versa. This is the first worldwide cargo joint venture of its kind. ANA has received antitrust immunity, i. e. approval for the joint venture from the Japanese Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport after filing for it in spring 2014.

Air Bridge Cargo Airlines has been awarded the ‘Best Cargo Airline’ Golden Chariot award at a ceremony in Berlin that is recognised as the ‘Oscars’ of the transport industry. The awards ceremony took place at the Kempinski Hotel in Berlin during the Innotrans international transport exhibition.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines is increasing its Boeing 747 freighter flights linking Tokyo and Seoul with Moscow. ABC will increase its scheduled flights from Moscow to Tokyo’s Narita Airport and on the onward connection to Seoul, Korea, to three services a week.

Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo and va-Q-tec announced their cooperation on the temperature controlled transportation of pharmaceutical and biotechnological goods worldwide. Eelco van Asch, senior vice president sales & distribution at Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo and Dominic Hyde, managing director va-Q-tec.

ANA Holdings plans to add cargo routes to India to tap South Asian demand for car parts and electronic components. The carrier plans to add two Boeing Co 767 freighters to its fleet of 12 aircraft by March 2017 to accommodate the expanded service, said Akira Okada, ANA Cargo Inc president.

American Airlines Cargo announced that it has started operating cargo services to and from Memphis, Tennessee, including its Priority Parcel Service, Confirmed FS and ExpediteFS offerings.In its current timetable AAC is operating five flights a day from Memphis to Dallas-Fort Worth using Airbus 319s.

Airbus Helicopters delivers China’s first fully-equipped air ambulance. Its twin-engine EC135 will become the reference helicopter for Chinese airborne emergency medical services operations Donauwörth. A new era in Chinese air ambulance operations began with Airbus Helicopters’ delivery of a twin-engine EC135 as the first rotorcraft outfitted for dedicated helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) missions in the country.

Aurora Air International has recently seen an opportunity to re-enter the air cargo market. It has chosen MidAmerica in Illinois as a key step in its plans to develop routes carrying perishable and pharmaceutical supplies on routes from Latin America to the USA to Asia and return. AirBridgeCargo Airlines’ winter flight schedule for 2014/15 would be providing its customers with more service choices with additional Boeing 747 freighter frequencies that would be linking major markets in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, via the airline’s hub in Moscow. Al Maktoum International’s surge in freight volumes continued in the third quarter of 2014 with triple-digit growth, according to traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports.DWC recorded 243,284 tonnes of freight in the third quarter, a sharp increase of 462.5 percent from 43,252 tonnes recorded during the corresponding period in 2013. American Airlines Cargo has established a beachhead in the North American market with a new division, Jettainer Americas located in Delaware. The new division plans to open other branch offices across the United States, beginning with Dallas-Fortworth (DFW) and American Airlines Group. Jettainer, which had been handling ULD equipment and maintenance for US Airways since 2005, will now take on the management of American Airlines’ 15,000 additional ULDs.

Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo has expanded its interline partnership with Nairobi-based Kenya Airways Cargo by adding flights to three new African destinations: Lubumbashi (FBM) in Congo; Pemba (POL) in Mozambique; and Lusaka (LUN) in Zambia. With these additions, the number of cities served in the interline cargo network has risen to ten. Air Canada has approved and accepted carriage of several new tracking devices on all its aircraft, enabling customers to monitor the location and environmental conditions of their shipments in real-time. Part of Air Canada Cargo’s mission is to provide customers with innovative shipping solutions that meet their evolving needs.

ASTRAL AVIATION, the Kenyan cargo carrier, is now a member of the Frankfurt-based association BARIG e.V. (Board of Airline Representatives in Germany), which represents about 100 national and international airlines in Germany. Nairobi-based Astral Aviation, currently the only privately owned cargo airline in Africa, was founded in 2000 and operates an inter-African transport network serving 50 destinations.

Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo is starting a new freighter operation between Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Shanghai (PVG). This flight will operate with a B747F. It will complement the already existing daily B777 services out of Paris Charles de Gaulle and the daily 747Combi services out of Amsterdam Schiphol.

Airbus is observing 20 years of its Beluga cargo aircraft transporting Airbus component parts between its European manufacturing sites. Named after the white Beluga whale because of its shape, the aircraft made its maiden flight on Sept. 13, 1994.

Air India has, yet again, risen to the occasion to help the flood affected Kashmir, by making immediate arrangements to transport 21 inflatable boats from New York to Srinagar free of cost.

Air France announced a major downsizing of its freighter fleet in the latest bid to return its cargo operation to profitability amid sagging global demand and increased competition from fast-growing Arab Gulf airlines.

Air France-Martinair Cargo launched a weekly B747-400ERF service to Entebbe in Uganda from Amsterdam. The freighter service to the African city will be in addition to the existing daily A332 passenger flight to Entebbe from Amsterdam-Schiphol.

AIRBRIDGECARGO Airlines is launching a weekly Basel-Moscow Sheremetyevo B747 freighter service to capiltalise on the Swiss city’s thriving healthcare industry. Basel has one of the highest concentrations of successful life-sciences businesses in the world, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical technology organisations.

American Airlines and US Airways have completed their merger and will become one air freight organisation. The two US carriers, who have been integrating shared cargo locations for the past nine months, will transition to a single air waybill using the American Airlines prefix 001.

American Airlines Cargo has started construction of a dedicated pharmaceutical handling facility in Philadelphia. The new 25,000 square-foot facility is designed to cater for a full range of temperature sensitive products being shipped in and out of the strategically important Northeast pharmaceutical corridorof the United States.

American Airlines Cargo has begun offering cargo service to and from Cleveland and Ontario. The expanded service will provide customers with more options for shipping cargo into and out of each of the cities with the same great service they have come to know and expect from American.

Apple’s iPhone is expected to give the much needed lift to air cargo shipments. Asian carriers like Cathay Pacific, Eva Air, Korean Air and ANA expect a boost in freight volumes because of shipments of an estimated 60 million iPhones from production plants in China.

Airbridge International Agencies has been selected as the general sales agent for Leisure Cargo in Austria and will take responsibility for Austrian airline NIKI. AIA has worked with Leisure Cargo for 10 years in the UK and Ireland, including online sales for Thomson Airways from 2011. It will work with NIKI, part of the airberlin group, which has a fleet of four Airbus A321s, 12 Airbus A320s and seven Embraer E190s.

AIR FRANCE-KLM is to launch a weekly MD-11 freighter service between Amsterdam and Guatemala. “In line with market demand, we are further intensifying our worldwide coverage by operating the new freighter route,” says a company statement.

ABU DHABI International Airport saw its cargo volumes rise to 377,885 tonnes up 16 per cent during the first six months of this year.Meanwhile, the top five traffic routes at the UAE facility are Bangkok, Manila, Doha, Jeddah and London-Heathrow.

AMERICAN Airlines is continuing to strengthen its presence across the US by adding four more domestic routes to its network. The carrier will begin offering belly cargo service to and from Fort Myers (Florida) and San Jose (California).

Air Transport Services Group announced that its aircraft leasing subsidiary, Cargo Aircraft Management, has agreed to purchase two Boeing 767-300ER freighters that ATSG’s airline subsidiary ABX Air currently leases from Guggenheim Aviation Partners.

Atlas Air is positive on air cargo prospects. The company said it was “encouraged” about the full-year outlook for 2014 and expected the air freight market to achieve the first real growth after three essentially flat years.

AirBridgeCargo plans to add more routes and boost frequencies of existing services after traffic soared 16 percent to an all-time high in the first half of the year.

Athens International Airport showed a modest growth of 4 percent in cargo traffic. Athens International Airport recently welcomed a freight of ship spares from Mumbai on a B 747 Etihad freighter.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines has started its 10th anniversary year with a record performance in the first six months of 2014 as it transported 188,354 tonnes of cargo across its international network, up 16 percent on the previous year. American Airlines Cargo begins offering full cargo service to and from Albuquerque, NM (ABQ), Guadalajara, Mexico (GDL), Norfolk, VA (ORF). The expanded service will provide customers with more options for shipping cargo into and out of each of the cities.

American Airlines Cargo begins offering full cargo service to and from San Antonio, TX (SAT). The expanded service will provide customers with more options for shipping cargo into and out of the city.

Air France has awarded a five-year cargo and mail handling contract to Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) at Paris-Orly Airport.This is the fifth cargo contract awarded by the airline to WFS in France, following Nice, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Marseille.

Aeronautical Engineers, (AEI) announced that it has delivered the third of five B737-400SF freighters to Southern Air who will operate the aircraft for DHL Express in the Americas. The aircraft is a standard gross weight B737-400SF (MSN 26455) built in 1993 and was converted at Commercial Jet’s Dothan facility, which is one of five authorized AEI Conversion Centers worldwide.

Antonov’s AN-225 has once again proven its vital role in air transportation with the carriage of a huge heat exchanger weighing 139 tonnes from Germany to Canada.The equipment which, with its specially-constructed load cradle and associated handling equipment weighed a total of 147 tonnes, was much too heavy for any other aircraft.

Airport Authority of India (AAI) has been ordered by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to clear cargo consignments on a 24/7 basis without any “restrictions” and with immediate effect at Chennai airport.

American Airlines Cargo has started full cargo service to and from San Antonio, Texas. The expanded service will provide customers with more options for shipping cargo into and out of the city. Cargo service in San Antonio is available for all of American’s products both domestically and internationally, including Priority Parcel Service, ConfirmedFS, ExpediteFS and ExpediteTC.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines transported 188,354 tonnes of cargo in the first six months of 2014 across its international network, up 16 percent on the previous year. Freight tonne kilometres in the six month period, rose by 19 percent exceeding the industry average growth of 4.4 percent. AirBridgeCargo continued to outperform the market in terms of average load factor in the first half of 2014, reporting a network-wide average of 72 percent.

Air China Cargo has modernized their fleet with the addition of all-new B777-200F freighter ordered from Boeing. Further four B777-200F freighters ordered from Boeing are scheduled to be delivered by 2015. Sources said B2098 may operate on North American freight routes as the first one of Air China Cargo’s five B777F freighters for which the Export-Import Bank of the United States provided financing guarantee.

Aeronautical Engineers (AEI) has delivered the third of the five B 737-400 SF freighters to Southern Air. The freighter will be operated by Southern Air for DHL Express in the Americas. This is the 13th aircraft of an anticipated 30+ freighters that AEI has contracted to deliver. The AEI B737-400SF is the only passenger to freighter conversion product that offers operators 10 full height container positions.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol reported improved tonnage throughout the second quarter of 2014, leading to overall growth of 8.84 percent in the year to date. In the period January-June, Schiphol handled a total of 801,700 tonnes. Schiphol’s cargo throughput has outstripped 2013 in every month of 2014, reaching a peak increase of 14.1 percent in May.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has re-entered the winners’ enclosure at this year’s Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards (AFSCA), scooping the ‘Best Airport Europe’ category for the 19th time in the scheme’s 28 year history.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s BLUEVEYOR baggage conveyors have been integrated in one of the arrival lines of the baggage handling system. The project started as a pilot two years ago. BLUEVEYOR was extensively tested in a semi-operational environment and improvements were integrated.

American Airlines Group reported positive combined traffic growth for American Airlines Cargo and US Airways Cargo. American Airlines Group’s system cargo tonne miles (CTMs) were 193.4 million, up 1.2 percent from the same period last year. Year-to-date CTMs were 1.15 billion, up 9.1 percent over the same period in 2013.

Air France-KLM group will further reduce its full freighter capacity by 9.4 percent, and the unit revenue per available ton kilometer (RATK) ex-currency down. Other developments included Air France inaugurating the first Boeing 777 equipped with the new cabins on the Paris-New York route .

Amerijet International’s new coast-to-coast freight service operation is to take off from Rickenbacker International Airport. Amerijet’s B767 freighter service provides customers with additional options for expedited and heavyweight domestic freight.

Abu Dhabi International Airport’s air cargo volumes increased by 24.5 per cent to 66,944 tonnes in May. Aircraft movements rose to 12,931 – up 15.8 per cent. Manila was the most popular route during the month due to a boost in Philippine Airlines’ operations, followed by Doha, as a result of Etihad augmenting its flights to Qatar.

AIR CHINA, Cathay Pacific and a third investor are to pump 2 billion yuan ($321 million) into their Air China Cargo freighter venture. In a website statement, Cathay said that the funds will assist Air China Cargo to “adjust its fleet, to reduce its operating costs and to improve the performance of its main cargo business.“

Amsterdam Airport Association of Asia Pacific Airlines showed that international air cargo demand in freight tonne kilometres increased by 4.7 percent in May, with export shipments by air to the US and Europe having gained momentum. Offered freight capacity registered a 4.0 percent increase.

Airbus is to work with DHL to move components used in A319s, A320s and A321s. Components from the Airbus production site in Hamburg will be transported to the company’s new final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama by air, sea and road by DHL Global Forwarding.

American Airlines has launched a full cargo service to and from Tampa, Florida. Tampa’s freight service will cover the complete product range of American Airlines Cargo, both for domestic and international shipments.

Asia Pacific Airlines saw a “healthy growth” in demand for air cargo in May, according to the latest industry data. Preliminary traffic figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines saw international air cargo demand in freight tonne km increase by 4.7 per cent with export shipments to the US and Europe both having “gained momentum”.

Air France has awarded a five-year cargo and mail handling contract to Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) at Paris-Orly Airport. This is the fifth cargo contract awarded by the airline to WFS in France in the last 12 months, following Nice, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Marseille. Emilio Fernandez, CEO Europe at Worldwide Flight Services, said, “WFS is very proud and excited about this new partnership and we appreciate the long-term confidence Air France is showing in our ability to deliver the high quality of service it demands for its customers. Our aim is to extend this partnership to all of Europe

AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) has expanded its presence in Europe with new routes linking Moscow with Malmo in Sweden and Leipzig, Germany. The new Malmo service to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport will be in addition to the existing weekend Boeing 737 freighter flight operated by Atran Cargo Airlines, also part of Volga-Dnepr Group. ABC’s B747 all-cargo flight between the two cities will operate every Friday. ABC will also launch a weekly B747 freighter service from Leipzig, extending the Group’s strong association with the airport.

Alitalia, as part of its renewal of ULD Fleet, will convert overall 650 type AKE units to the light weight standard by the end of 2014. The implementation of the new technology is to enable reduction of each of the containers’ weight by 20 percent, from 82 kilograms to a maximum of 66 kilograms. This would result in a weight reduction of at least 16 kilograms per unit and will lead to a significant cut in fuel consumption and in turn lower carbon dioxide emissions.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC), Russia’s largest cargo carrier, received a business boost with a big rise in flower imports it undertook during St. Valentine’s Day. The freighter had transported 1,400 tons of flowers from Amsterdam to Moscow till February 14th, thereby registering an increase of 18 percent over the delivery of flowers during same period in 2013. ABC is the largest importer of flowers to Russia. The carrier transports nearly 16,000 tonnes of cut flowers per year.

American Airlines Cargo set a new system-wide record in January 2014 on account of the total amount of cargo carried on one of its new B777-300ER aircraft. At Los Angeles the flight was loaded with 103,384 pounds (46,894 kilos) of freight on January 21. This is the first ever transportation of a six-digital load by the airline. The transportation of the six-digital cargo set a new record by superseding the previous record of 97,237 pounds (44,990 kilos), which was undertaken in New York Kennedy (JFK) in November 2013.

Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd. (AISATS) has been honoured by the Indian Chambers of Commerce with the ‘Air Cargo Terminal Operator of The Year’ award for the third consecutive year during the ‘Indian Supply Chain Logistics Summit & Excellence Award 2014’. AISATS was bestowed with the award in recognition of its world-class Air Cargo Terminal at the Kempegowda International Airport on the basis of key parameters, such as range of specialised and value-added services, IT and EDI system, customer satisfaction and responsiveness, security management, energy conservation and innovation, amongst others.

Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo announced extra capacity in anticipation of peak flower demand for International Women’s Day which will be celebrated on March 8, 2014. Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo would be contributing to the festivities by helping perpetuate the tradition of giving flowers to women around the world. As much as 560 tons of flowers originating from Andean countries (UIO and BOG) will be flown to Europe, where Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo holds the biggest market share. This is in addition to our regular flower shipments. This year Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo will reconfirm its commitment to the flower industry by adding full charter flights and aircraft upgrades. The majority of this additional capacity is intended for the Russian market, where the tradition of giving flowers on International Women’s Day is widely observed.

Astral Aviation, following the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan during December 2013, has uplifted in excess of 1000 tonnes of relief and humanitarian shipments into Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Astral has been operating into South Sudan since last eight years and also operates a dedicated ground handling and warehouse at the airport. Astral responded to the crisis by arranging evacuation flights using DC9 and Embraer 120 passenger aircrafts, and was amongst the first to land in Juba. Astral evacuated in excess of 500 people safely into the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) announced that Vx Capital Partners have selected AEI to provide their first B737-400SF passenger to freighter conversion. The aircraft is a standard gross weight B737-400 (MSN 25109) built in 1994 and will undergo freighter modification at AEI’s Authorized Conversion Center, Commer-cial Jet Inc. in Miami Florida. Vx’s B737-400SF will be available for lease in July 2014.

Airport Authority of India (AAI) has decided in-principle consent to the project site of Greenfield Cargo Airport to be set up at Meham in Rohtak in Haryana. The Ministry of Defence had also issued the requisite No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in this regard. According to an official spokesman, with the setting up of this cargo airport, the commercial activities are expected to get a boost in the state. The Ministry of Railways was developing a Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) between Delhi and Mumbai, covering a length of 1,483 kilometers.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol achieved a 3.2 percent improvement in its cargo business during 2013. The airport handled 1.53 million tonnes which came close to the facility’s all-time record set in 2007. A total of 410,698 tonnes passed through Schiphol during a strong fourth quarter, registering an increase of 8 percent as compared to 2012.

American Airlines Group reported positive year-over-year traffic growth in 2013 for both American Airlines Cargo and US Airways Cargo. American’s cargo volumes in December 2013 rose by nearly 13 percent as compared to the record set in December 2012. American’s year-to-date cargo traffic too registered an increase of 4.3 percent as compared to the same period in the previous year. US Airways’ year-to-date cargo traffic in December 2013 registered an increase of 7.5 percent as compared to the same period during 2012.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) achieved a 5percent growth in cargo tonnage in 2013, recording its highest ever volume of 340,000 tonnes across its network linking Europe, Russia, Asia and North America. The airline reported volume growth on all of its major routes and this was matched by a 5percent improvement in revenue. AirBridgeCargo’s Freight Ton-Kilometers (FTK) rose 15percent in 2013, while its average load factor of 72percent indicated a marginal 1.7percent gain as compared to the previous year.

Asiana Airlines has extended handling contract with Fraport Cargo Services. Asiana is serving as a premium carrier with 79 aircraft 12 domestic routes, 71 international passenger routes and 29 international cargo routes. The airline is working permanently on increasing their international network coverage having the top priorities quality, service and safety. Asiana did not doubt in extending the existing contract with FCS.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will co-host the ‘Pharma Shippers’ Forum’ at the ‘AIR CARGO INDIA Conference’ with the event organizer STAT Times. The event is designed to bring shippers, freight forwarders and logistics providers, airlines, handling agents and others together to discuss the special needs of the sector, the airfreight industry’s response to date, and how the industry can fully exploit this valuable evolving market in the future. The Forum will adopt the now proven “Schiphol” round-table format, in which experienced moderator Enno Osinga, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s Senior VP Cargo will begin proceedings by posing probing questions to a number of airfreight industry specialists present. The floor will be opened up to questions and comments from the audience, which is expected to include a significant attendance by India’s 800-strong pharma manufacturing sector.

Air Canada’s new Boeing 787 aircraft is an advantage for cargo. Air Canada launched a special website to provide a sneak peak at the new Boeing 787 aircraft. Visit 787.aircanada.com for a virtual tour of the aircraft, including new cabin amenities as well as technical specifications and route information. Improved cargo capacity and larger ULDs are some of the key advantages for Air Canada Cargo.

Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) announced redelivery of the sixth 737-400SF 11 Pallet freighter to the ASL Aviation Group. The sixth freighter that has been delivered is a high gross weight 737-400SF (MSN 25181) built in 1992. The conversion was performed at AEI’s Authorized Conversion Center, Commercial Jet Inc. in Miami Florida. This makes AEI’s 17th of an estimated 23 freighter re-deliveries during 2013.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) announced increase in the number of flights it offers between Moscow and both the Milan Malpensa and Paris Charles de Gaulle hubs. ABC, which has operated on these routes since 2009, has added a weekly service to the two flights on offer to and from Paris every seven days. In addition to three weekly frequencies between Milan and Moscow, ABC now operates two more options. The decision to introduce frequencies came about as a result of consultation with customers and the monitoring of market trends.

American Airlines Cargo commenced offering widebody cargo service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Sao Paulo, Brazil (GRU) during December 2013. The new service, operated with a 777-200ER, provides customers with a fourth gateway to and from Sao Paulo. American is the only airline to offer this daily nonstop service. Currently, American offers service between Sao Paulo and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX).

American Airlines Cargo commenced offering widebody cargo service from Miami (MIA) to Milan, Italy (MXP), widebody service from Miami (MIA) to Curitiba, Brazil (CWB) and Porto Alegre, Brazil (POA) and narrowbody service from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Bogota, Colombia (BOG). These new additions are indicative of the fact that the American Airlines Cargo is growing its global network and giving customers more options for shipping

Air Canada and Cargojet announced singing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) to explore strategic opportunities in both cargo and airline operations within Canada and in international markets. The carriers intend to pursue strategic opportunities and increase cooperation in various areas such as global sales and marketing, expanded interline opportunities and enhanced connectivity that would increase revenues and reduce operating costs. Both airlines would work towards providing optimized services to the shipping community on their respective networks. The implementation of new strategic initiatives would be subject to Air Canada and Cargojet making any necessary filings, obtaining regulatory approvals and finalizing documentation.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC), Russia’s largest scheduled cargo carrier, transported 92,000 tons of cargo in the 3rd quarter of 2013 across its network linking Europe, Asia, Russia and North America thereby registering a 3% increase as compared to the same period during 2012. Average load factors were also higher rising by 2% to 72%.Available Freight Ton Kilometres and Freight Ton Kilometres for the three month period rose to 15% and 18% respectively. In September 2013, the airline transported 31,000 tons of cargo thereby registering a 2% rise over the same period during 2012. Commercial payload remained consistent with the September 2012 level at an average of 71%.

AMR Corporation has reported that cargo volumes during October 2013 of its principal subsidiary, American Airlines, Inc., were up by nearly 19 percent as against the cargo volumes recorded during October 2012. “The past few months have been very gratifying for us with continued network growth, enhancements to our customer experience, and now, six consecutive months of year-over-year traffic growth—this month in the double digits,” said Kenji Hashimoto, president of American Airlines Cargo. “Add to all of that, during our busiest October in recent years, American set records for its operational performance. We are very pleased with these strong results.” he added.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Russia’s largest international cargo airline and a part of Volga-Dnepr Group, has increased its flights from Milan (Malpensa MXP) and Paris (Charles de Gaulle CDG) to Moscow. Accordingly, AirBridgeCargo, with effect from 01, November 2013, commenced operation of scheduled flights from Paris and Milan three and five times a week. In addition to two flights from Paris which the airline performs on Wednesdays and Sundays, the airline has added an extra service on Fridays. In addition to the three existing frequencies from MXP to Moscow every Monday, Tuesday and Friday, additional services now also operate on Thursdays and Sundays.

Aerolineas Cargo, the cargo division of Aerolineas Argentinas, joined the SkyTeam Cargo Alliance during the Air Cargo Americas Show held at the Miami Airport Convention Center. The airline thus became the 12th member carrier of the SkyTeam Cargo Alliance and would add over 30 Latin American destinations to SkyTeam Cargo’s global network.

Air France-KLM has reported an operating loss from its cargo business of €84 million for the three months to end-September 2013 “despite significant cost efforts.” It compares to an operating loss of €69 million in the third quarter of 2012. The revenues, during the third quarter o